Poetry | Society’s Man

By Samir Yellapragada, For The Pitt News

 

Society’s man is an astounding creature
Intricately built with every convenient feature
Teacher to all and student to none
A valiant warrior as bright as the sun
Tough as nails and he never fails
To come out of every situation victorious
Eternally glorious
Just like the story is
Because he is a
Living legend that is
Never threatened ’cause he
Remains calm no matter the ordeal
Distancing himself from emotion and the capacity to feel
Towering at an empowering height of 6 feet tall
Whose bulging muscles are the envy of all
With perfect, wavy, flawless hair
A manly man who wrestles bears
But he’s too suave to care
’Cause he’s answering prayers
A football player
Bare of any weakness
Devoid of unnecessary uniqueness
He’s this female magnet
To which all are attracted
The fact that he says what he wants and does what he wants
Because what he wants is always what he gets
Consider completed any goal that he sets
There is nothing he regrets
A natural hunter
Nature’s wonder
Bold as thunder
Whose very presence all the women crave
With a thick manly beard that he never really shaves
He is tough, strong, commanding and brave
His word is final; his disposition grave
A real man who will never shed tears
A real man who will never show his fears
A real man who will always beat his peers
Remains calm no matter the ordeal
Distancing himself from emotion and the capacity to feel
Remains calm no matter the ordeal
Distancing himself from emotion and the capacity to feel
Remains calm no matter the ordeal
Distancing himself from emotion and the capacity to feel
But if this is true, how can he be real?
He represents a myth disguised as reality
Or rather a lie hidden in actuality
Society’s man is a disgusting illusion
Conjuring nothing but shame and confusion
For otherwise confident young men
This improper model must be destroyed
Or insecurities will lead to steroids
He acts like something he’s not
The man he was taught to be
Is not who he thought to be
And definitely not who he ought to be
Damned elusive perfection
Men hide for protection under shells of themselves
Confidence reveals its cracks
The macho is there but it’s the person that lacks